Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor the prompt.

Summary: The right words. At the wrong time.

-:-:-:-:-:- "Did you say something?"-:-:-:-:-:-

Prompt 4: If you wait too long for the perfect moment, the perfect moment will pass you by.

His pale eyes drifted to her, for the umpteenth time that day, but as soon as he could focus on her brown hair, he turned away. He shook his head angrily, mentally scolding himself. It was getting more frequent now.

His eyes would drift to her, and then he'd end up gazing for minutes. Sometimes, he could even feel his heart beat faster. Neji sighed, frustrated at himself. Was it even normal? Or was he just sick? Yes. He nodded. He must be sick… There must be some kind of flu going around; a flu that caused people to adore others. Yes, that must be it.He reasoned to himself.

He was never like this before… he would never stare at her for hours. He would never feel electricity running through his body whenever their hands would touch. He would never feel his heart beat faster whenever she would smile. He would never—

"Why don't you just tell her?" Drawled a deep voice beside him, snapping him back to reality.

"Hn." Neji answered as quickly as he could.

Shikamaru chuckled. "I thought you couldn't even hear me."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Neji whispered back, gazing at the words written on the board at the front of the classroom. But the words all looked like blurry black objects pasted on a wall. His mind was too busy reflecting on the words Shikamaru had said to him. Tell her? Tell her what?

"Don't act dumb. And I thought you were supposed to be intelligent."

"Not as smart as you are, though." The Hyuga said, smirking. "Why don't you explain what your just said?"

"Bothersome." Shika answered before turning away. He slumped his head back on his thin arms, crossed on the table.

Neji sighed before gazing away to stare at the windows. The days were getting warmer now. It was the 14th of February, and, yes, Valentine's Day. The day for love, or so, said some of the girls in his class. Love… was that what Shikamaru was telling him? Tell her?Was he talking about…love?

No.Neji argued with himself. And at the same time, yes, he might really be feeling SOMETHING for her… But all it was ONLY a TEMPORARY crush. There was no need to confess anything to her. He turned his gaze to the front and saw her staring at him. Immediately, his heartbeat quickened. The expression of her eyes was filled with worry.

"Are you alright?" She mouthed.

He froze, unable to move, then after what seemed like a few minutes, he managed to nod his head in response.

"Ok." Tenten answered, although she turned away looking more apprehensive.

Neji gently slapped his forehead with his palm, muttering angrily. He was acting so stupid.

"I told you." Drawled Shikamaru again.

"Argh…Fine." Neji answered in frustration looking straight to his friend's eyes. Fine. He repeated to himself. There was no point in denying it anymore… It only made things more complicated. And that was the last thing he needed.

Shikamaru smirked. "Like I said earlier, just tell her."

"But…how?"

"That's up to you."

"And… what if she answers negatively?"

"I highly doubt that. She likes you."

"She does?" Neji repeated, surprised.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You really are stupid when it comes to this kind of things."

Neji shook his head again, looking away. Just because Shikamaru was able to confess to Ino easily, didn't mean it was the same for everyone else.

After minutes of fighting the urge to look at Tenten, again—which was harder that he thought—the bell finally rang. Heading out of the classroom, Neji stopped dead when he heard a voice calling out for him. A voice that sounded like a beautiful instrument playing to his ear.

"Neji! Wait!"

"Tenten." He answered firmly, turning around to face his childhood friend.

"Hey…" She answered, smiling.

"Is something wrong?"

"I was about to ask you that," She answered back, expression suddenly becoming serious.

"Hn."

"You looked really distant… Is there something bothering you?"

Neji hesitated, before remembering Shikamaru's words to him. Just tell her.Bracing himself, Neji faced her. "Actually, Tenten I..."

"Yes?" She asked, curiously.

"I lo—there's dirt on your face." He said, reaching his hand out to her face. He brushed her soft skin gently, wiping away the imaginary dirt.

"Oh…" She exclaimed, as he withdrawed his hand. He noticed a pink twinge form on her cheeks. But he quickly dismissed it from his thoughts.

"Well.. Just make sure you're alright, okay?" she added.

He nodded, watching her walk away. "Argh!" he groaned, as soon as she had gone. In the end, he couldn't do it. There were just too many people around, and it wasn't the right place… wasn't the right time. All he needed for now was patience, and perhaps, courage.

"Coward." He heard another voice mumble, this time though, it wasn't Shikamaru.

"What do you want, Uchiha?" He muttered.

Sasuke smirked. "You couldn't say it."

"Say what?"

"Stop pretending." Sasuke continued, rising from the wooden bench he was sitting on. "Everyone knows. Except her."

"What?" Neji asked, bewildered. Everyone knows?

Sasuke laughed. "It's pretty obvious, especially with the two of you. I don't even understand why you're holding back. Just tell her." Was his last words as he walked away heading towards the pink haired girl waiting for him at the end of the corridor.

Just tell her.Those words again! Why did everyone keep on telling him that?

He looked to Sasuke, and saw that he wasn't alone, he was with Sakura Haruno, one of Tenten's friend. Just like everyone else around them, their hands were intertwined. It seemed like everyone—even his shy, quiet cousin—had a date for that particular day. Everyone except him, unless of course he would be able to tell her before the day ended.

He headed to the library. It was the only place he knew that he could concentrate in. And there was silence…

As soon as he reached the great mahogany door, everything—just as he predicted—was still. The library was located at the second floor of the school's building, and very few people went to it, which meant he could read without the constant giggling of couples.

He opened the door and pushed it gently, its hinges creaking in the silence. He looked to the right of the library expecting to see the spectacled librarian, but instead, found an empty chair.

"Hn." He grunted in astonishment. Maybe even the librarian is out on a date. As soon as he thought it, Neji quickly pressed the thought out of his mind as visions of the old, shrill-voiced woman out on a date started forming. He exhaled in annoyance. Was his affection for Tenten also changing the way he thought?

His usually silent footsteps echoed in the hush of the room. Piles of books were around him, but nobody was in sight. Or at least he thought.

It was in the tenth row of books. As he looked to his right, he stopped dead in his tracks. Straight ahead, in the gap between two bookshelves, she could see somebody standing quietly, gazing out the window. And it wasn't just anybody.

"Tenten.." He whispered, although her back was facing him he easily recognized the two signature buns on the top of her head. There was also no mistaking her outfit; the pink shirt and cargo pants that he saw her wearing earlier. He once again looked around him, it was just right. It was like everything was arranged for this moment.

He inhaled deeply, striding quickly, his heart seemingly pumping out of his chest.

His strides slowed down, and at that exact moment, he could hear something sounding like muffled music. Assuming it was just music from the floor below, he again, inhaled and finally opened his mouth to talk. "Tenten…" He started, loud enough that she could hear him this time. "Tenten, I… I love you." He said, stopping just behind her. There. He had said it. Now… there was no turning back.

Everything froze… at least, that was what it seemed to him. She wasn't moving, and neither was he. Then, she shifted, uncomfortably at first, and finally, she turned around.

"AAAHHH!" She screamed in obvious shock, and stumbled back.

"T-Tenten?" He asked, unsure of how to react. Then he saw it. Something black dropping from her ears. Earphones.

Earphones. He repeated to himself in exasperation. EARPHONES.And with pretty loud music, too, he might add. So that explained what he heard earlier.

"Neji! What are you doing there!" Tenten shouted, clutching her chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I…" He sighed heavily. Great. Just great.

She chuckled. "You look weird."

"Hn." He grunted, irritated. Of all the times for her notto hear him, why now?

"I felt something behind me, but I wasn't sure at first…" She explained. "So imagine my shock when I turned around."

And imagine MY shock when I saw your earphones.He thought, vividly.

"Oh… And did you say something?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"What?"

"When I was staring out the window, I heard a muffle sound behind me… So I'm guessing you must've said something."

What now? "I didn't say anything." He said simply, doing his best to sound casual.

"Oh." She expressed.

And for the second time that day, he could see disappointment sketched all over her face.

"Actually, I was going to ask you something." He said.

"Hm?" She asked, looking straight to his eyes.

"Well, since everybody's out… do you wanna go take a walk?"

"What?" She asked, suddenly beaming.

"And maybe dinner, too." He said, shrugging.

"Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" He asked back, smirking at the look on her face.

"Well then, I'd love to." She said, grinning widely at him.

"Great." He said, taking her hand, all the while feeling his whole body burn with her touch. "Oh, and Tenten, Happy Valnetine's." He said, looking down at her, and again smirked when he saw her whole face turning red. Maybe there was hope for him after all, and that he should've told her a long time ago.

He nodded curtly at the librarian who had just entered the room, watching them with wonder. Tenten's hand in his was loose, but as they exited the library, she was now gripping his hand as tight as he was gripping hers. Yes, now would have been the perfect time to tell her. But since it had waited this long… Maybe it could also wait til after they ate their dinner.

END

A/N: Ten Panoramas: GONE.

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